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New trial data suggests Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy edges out rival treatments on heart condition risk reduction, in good news for the Danish pharma giant as it battles a spate of challenges in the key U.S. market.
The company on Sunday said that continued use of its weight management drug semaglutide, sold to consumers as Wegovy, led to a 57% greater reduction in the risk of heart attack, stroke or death in people with obesity and cardiovascular disease or who were overweight, compared with users of tirzepatide.
Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in Zepbound and Mounjaro, the drugs manufactured by U.S. firm Eli Lilly — Novo Nordisk’s main rival in the battle to produce market-leading weight management treatments.
The company noted the results came from a real-world study as opposed to a randomized control trial, which is the “gold standard” for evaluating treatment efficacy. The number of patients recording such events was also very low, reaching 0.1% for those using Wegovy and 0.4% for those on tirzepatide.
